live review ~ oh volcano ~ mandela hall, belfast

Supporting the mammoth Twenty One Pilots on the final date of their first world tour was always going to be a tall order, thankfully our own Oh Volcano made it look, quite literally easy.

Armed with a series of big hitting electronic pop songs, the band, a fairly new entity it has to be remembered, sounded much more assured than expected. Debut single 'Oceans' had the crowd really moving, managing to capture the swaying likability of CHVRCHES, through a maturer finished product.

Entrancing synth lines and catchy choruses define the two-piece's sound, casting ambient shadows across their infectious melodies. Front man Owen Strathern has totally transformed his indie aesthetic, while maintaining the ferocity of his vocal. Tight guitar work interweaves between progressive house, all the while hinting at something deeper. For a two piece band with no drums to capture an audiences attention, (particularly that of Twenty One Pilots dedicated following) takes real persistence, a trait Oh Volcano possess to no end.

Clearly enjoying their new venture, Oh Volcano looked fully captivated by each of their own songs, almost as much as the crowd themselves. Adding to the already exciting atmosphere that had made it's way into the building.

Brimming with 80's influences, Oh Volcano already sound like a future cult band. Having only scratched the surface of this new acts potential, expect their stock price to rise with each future release.

About Us

Encore NI is a non profitable music website/media organisation set up to review gigs, albums and singles, owned by Taylor Johnson & based in Belfast's Oh Yeah Centre. We proudly run & operate 'Modern Life Is Rubbish', a gig night with a difference.

Taylor has had work printed in various local and national newspapers, as well as various music websites and publications. To date he has worked and broadcast with the NME, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 4, Citybeat, Blast 106, BBC Radio Ulster & BBC Radio Foyle. He now co-runs 'Spectrum Festival', a yearly music festival held in The Mandela Hall and has just finished hosting 'Soundscape', a television series on Irish TV (Sky Channel 191) about local music.